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I Timothy 6:8-9 - "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." NASU
So let me ask a question. Are we more like the man with 12 children or the man with one million dollars? Are we content or do we always want more? We all know this can be a vicious cycle when we always want more. So what can we do to get out of this trap?
I read a book some years ago and the Dr. was saying you should start now to cut back on your salt intake because if you have a heart attack the doctor will tell you you must NOT use salt. Once humans hear we must NOT do something we want to do it all the more. So the key to being content is to tell ourselves we are happy right now with everything we have and we don’t need anything else. We will want to repeat this over and over again.
What do they all say? If we don't have their product there is something wrong with us. We just aren't all we could be without the item they are selling. It is their product that is going to make us happy or content. Things are not going to make us happy or content. Happiness and contentment come when we are satisfied with what we already have acquired. What we need is to train ourselves in advance with what is known as "positive self-talk." It is what the athletes use before their events. We must listen to what we are saying to ourselves. If we believe the commercials or advertisements we must have their product before we can be happy or content then we are going to sacrifice our peace and contentment without their product. If we buy the product we will only have temporary contentment until the next article appears telling us we really need this new item to be content. We must learn to say NO to our desires.
In Philippians 4:11 Paul says, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be a content in whatever circumstances I am.” How did Paul learn to be content? By telling himself he had all that he needed and if he needed more God would supply it. In Heb.13:5 God’s word says, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” We can be content BECAUSE God watches over us and He will NEVER desert or forsake us. If we really need something, ask God for it; and if God believes we need it, He will provide it. How cool is that? Think About This: Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it. - William Feather Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's FYI: I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months. https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us. Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Rom. 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. NASU
It isn’t real hard to determine what a person loves. All you have to do is observe what they purchase. Our money can be spent on good things as well as bad. I grew up in a house where only my dad worked. What did he purchase with his money? He purchased a house for his family to live in, he bought a car to drive him to work, he bought groceries to feed his family, he bought clothes for his family to wear, and he paid all the utility bills. He even planted a large garden, and tended it when he came home from work. You might ask, “Why would he do this?” The question can be answered fairly easily. He loved his family, and provided for them. This is what is known as “expressed love”. The items that he purchased or raised in the garden expressed his love for his family. What are your purchased items expressing love for? Are they expressing love for God, yourself or others?
If you don't believe you are being watched just Google search some item like you're interested in buying it, and see how fast it takes for your FB page to display advertisements for the same item you Google searched.
Would they be advertisements for yourself and your own pleasures? Would they be advertisements for spiritual items? All you have to do is follow the Word of God. Paul said, “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,…” Renew your mind! Do an inventory check of all the items you have been purchasing, and decide today that you are going to make the necessary changes in your life if they don't help you grow spiritually. I came across and acrostic years ago for JOY. It stood for Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. Think About These: A Paradox of Life: When young, you spend your health to gain wealth, and when old you spend your wealth to get health. People are funny. They spend money they don’t have, to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t like. Stay Pumped, FYI: I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months. https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us. Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Go To www.SeragosPumpUps.com God Wants Us To Do This One Thing.
Luke 5:1-5 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; …And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing… Serago are you trying to tell me God wants me to go fishing. No, not exactly, but I am sure some would not argue with God if that were His command. When reading the Bible background information is very important.
When His lesson is over He wants to bless Peter for the use of his boat and more importantly He wants to teach Peter a life lesson on TRUSTING GOD. Jesus says, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." There are lots of things wrong with that statement from a fisherman's point of view. Peter is a fisherman by trade. Jesus is not. Pete had been fishing when you are supposed to and that is at night. The top of the water is cooler at night and the fish will come up to feed. It is now day and the sun has been heating the top of the water so the fish swim to deeper water where it is cooler. Throwing their nets out now when the water has warmed is not going to help them catch any fish. Pete informs Jesus, we fished all night, when we were supposed to, and we caught nothing. Now you want us to throw out our nets when we are not supposed to. Pete probably wants to ask Jesus if He had ever fished in His life, but he didn't. Pete is at the crossroads of Dilemma and Frustration. Have you ever been there? He had pulled in his nets, if they needed fixing he has fixed them and now they are drying, and put away. It is time to go home. It is time to get some sleep because he will be back here later today with his crew and they once again will be going out all night trying to catch some fish.
When you and I have done something for the 10,000th time God just might want us to do it a different way. WHAT! Are you kidding me? This will never work in a million years. Yeah, that is probably what Peter was thinking. Can you just hear Peter talking to himself? He was probably saying, "This will never work. Everyone knows you fish at night, except this guy. If I had only worked faster I could have been off the boat and at home in bed sleeping, but no I had to go back and double-check those nets. I am such an idiot." Jesus wants Peter to trust him and as we can see Peter did NOT automatically trust God's Son. To help Peter grow in his faith God worked a miracle in front of him. Pete did something different. He fished during the day with his nets and Jesus filled his nets with fish. If we will trust God a little He will pour out a blessing from heaven that will be enormous.
In what area of our lives does God want us to fully trust Him? We might want to start where Peter finished and that is by bowing down to pray and telling the Lord that we are sinful because we have not fully trusted Him. What one thing does God want us to do? Trust Him! Think About These: Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God. God still speaks to those who take the time to listen. Stay Pumped, FYI: I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months. https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us. Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Go To www.SeragosPumpUps.com Gen. 2:16-17 - The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." NASU
Now what is so hard about those do's and don'ts? Wrestling coaches are like God in that they tell their wrestlers what to do, and what not to do. All coaches will emphasize do's and don'ts -"Do get proper sleep and nutrition, Do attend all of your classes, Don't let your weight get out of control, and Don't miss practices." Coaches also are at mat-side giving instructions when their wrestlers are in the battle. Your coach wants the best for you exactly like God wanted the best for Adam and Eve.
So why did he try it? I believe in the heat of the battle you will resort back to old habits when you become impatient or desperate. Even if you know this move will not work you will try it. I was watching a match once where one wrestler was known for his ability to ride his opponent. What would the other wrestler do when it was his choice? Would he take bottom or neutral? He took neutral. He was better in the neutral position and that was his strength. He went with his strength. He stayed away from the other wrestler's strength. Now wasn't the time to be macho, now was the time to win a championship. There was no doubt in my mind the wrestler listened to his coach and won the match.
There are some wrestlers today who are going over in their minds, what if. What if I would have done this or what if I would have listened to my coach? You can't change the outcome of your match now so let me say this, "Use this as a learning experience, listen to your coach the next time, and now it is time to move on in your life. Set another goal and start working to accomplish it."
It all comes down to trust. Do you trust your coach? When the pressure on the mat is turned up do you trust your coach? If you don't trust him then why did you ever accept the coach's invitation to come and wrestle for him? You are both going to be frustrated. Adam and Eve simply didn't trust God. They listened to and believed a lie and lost their match. When the pressure of your life is turned up are you going to trust God, your coach? If not, why did you become a Christian?
Have you been coached on how to defeat this problem in your life? Implement what you have been taught. Think on These: Confidence is the feeling you have before you fully understand the situation. A good coach inspires men to have confidence in him; a great coach inspires men to have confidence in themselves. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Gen. 16:11-12 - The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. 12 "He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him;…" NASU
God told Abe and Sarai, they were going to have a son. There is the promise from God. Sarai and Abram were both old when they were given this promise from God. It is going to take 25 years for this promise to be fulfilled. He didn't say when the promise would be fulfilled. He simply said they would have a son. They must have thought He meant immediately and when it didn't happen immediately Sarai decided to help God fulfill His promise by replacing His plan with one of her own. So she tells Abram to have a sexual relationship with her handmaiden, Hagar, and then she will raise the child as her own. This may have been accepted culturally but it surely wasn't going to work when it was in direct opposition to God's plan. I can't imagine anything going wrong with her plan, can you?
America's 911 was caused by the descendants of Ishmael. The radical Muslims who have bombed England, France, Pakistan, USA and the list goes on and on as this prophecy is fulfilled day after day. His hand is against every man and every man's hand is against him.
When God makes a promise believe it and don't put a time limit on it. If you think that God should act within a certain time frame does that make it so? God made Abram and Sarai a promise and 25 years later He fulfilled his promise. Sarai and Abe waited 11 years and when they were not the parents of this promised child they took matters into their own hands. Then after another 14 years or a total of 25 years God fulfilled His promise. If I can give you any encouragement today let it be this: God Always Fulfills His Promises and below are some I hope will encourage you. Ps 9:8-9 - And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity. 9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble;… Ps 34:15 - The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. Ps 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. When God makes a promise simply wait for it. His timing is perfect and He never forgets. Think on These: When God allows a burden to be put upon you, He'll give you the strength to carry it. There is one thing for which you should be thankful - only you and God have all the facts about you. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Go To www.SeragosPumpUps.com |
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